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LOT 114
Historic, Engraved, Silver, Presentation Caldwell, Kansas, Deputy
Marshal Badge Inscribed for Ben Wheeler a Notorious Lawman
Turned Outlaw - Manufactured c. the early 1880s, this is a very attractive
example of a presentation badge to then deputy marshal Ben F. Wheeler
(a.k.a. Ben F. Burton, a.k.a. Ben F. Robertson), who would later go on to
become assistant city marshal of Caldwell, Kansas, and later an infamous
outlaw. Ben’s early life is somewhat unclear, but it is believed he was on
the move fairly frequently, possibly due to being on the wrong side of
the law. Already having a bit of a checkered past, Wheeler married in
Nebraska in 1881, and assumed his wife’s name (Wheeler) as an alias. It
is believed that Wheeler arrived in Caldwell around 1882, a town that
had earned a rough reputation as a wild and lawless cattle town. In 1882,
Henry Newton Brown, who is said to have once run with the gang lead
by Billy the Kid, was made city marshal, and he appointed Wheeler as his
assistant marshal. Period sources give a variety of descriptions of Brown
and Wheeler as lawmen, some saying they were upstanding and are the
only reason Caldwell hadn’t descended into chaos, while others claim
the two had essentially taken control of the town through thuggery and
intimidation. Whatever the truth may be, it does appear that during the
rest of 1882 and 1883, Caldwell saw a reduction in crime. However, in May
of 1884, for reasons unknown, Brown and Wheeler again decided to cross
the line from lawman to outlaw, a very fine line at many times during that
period in the American West. On a day in early May of that year, Brown,
Wheeler, and two cowboys from the T-5 range named Billie Smith and
John Wesley rode into the town of Medicine Valley with the intentions of
robbing the bank. Brown, Wheeler, and Wesley entered the bank, while
Smith waited outside with the horses. The three men began to hold up
the bank, but the bank’s president, Wylie Payne went to draw his revolver.
The ensuing gunfight left both Payne and George Geppert, the cashier,
lying dead, and a gunfight began to break out in the street between
Smith and the city marshal who had quickly arrived. The four men fled
town but were quickly pursued by a large band of cowboys who had been
assembled with horses already saddled, awaiting a round-up to begin.
The four outlaws were eventually caught, shackled, dragged back to the
town, and locked in a small shed which acted as the jail. A vengeful mob
of quickly assembled seeking justice and eventually the local lawmen
were no longer able to hold them back. The four outlaws had managed
to unshackle themselves in the shed, so that when the door opened they
all attempted to flee. Brown managed to make it the farthest, eventually
being shot dead by two blasts of buckshot from a shotgun, but the
other three were quickly caught alive. The three men were dragged to
an old elm tree at the edge of town where they were asked for their final
words and then hung. The badge itself is made of silver with an inset
five-pointed star of brass at the center. The badge is hand engraved with
the inscription “BEN WHEELER/DEPUTY/MARSHAL/CALDWELL/KANSAS”,
all of which is surrounded by nicely executed floral scroll engraving. This
badge is quite ornate and appears to be some sort of gift or presentation
badge, rather than one for daily wear on duty. Also included is a small
frame which the badge attached to and a matching framed print of a
photograph that shows Ben Wheeler just before he was hung.
CONDITION: Fine overall, showing a darkened, attractively aged patina
overall with some minor scratches scattered throughout and the
engraving remaining crisp. An exceptional badge with Wild West history
inscribed to lawman turned outlaw Ben Wheeler!
Provenance: The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 10,000 117